Irish apple cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan.

Prepare the custard sauce in advance. Heat the milk over medium heat. In the meantime, thoroughly whisk the egg yolks and sugar until fully combined. Gradually pour a small amount of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. Repeat this process with more hot milk, then return the mixture to the pan with the remaining hot milk. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Do not overcook it as it may curdle; it should have a velvety consistency rather than being as thick as pudding. Remember that the sauce will thicken further as it cools. Stir in the vanilla.

Strain the custard through a sieve into a heatproof jar or bowl, and cover the surface with cling film to prevent skin from forming as it cools. Place it in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.

For the streusel topping, combine the butter with the flour, sugar, and oats until the butter is well mixed and the mixture has a coarse, crumbly texture. Place it in the refrigerator.

Beat the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well incorporated.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and whisk them together. Gently incorporate the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture and the milk or cream.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan using a spoon and spread it out evenly. Arrange the sliced apples on top, followed by the streusel topping.

Place in the oven and bake for approximately 50 minutes to an hour, until the top has a light golden-brown hue and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan before removing it. Dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Tips 

To ensure your cake batter mixes smoothly, it's crucial to have warmer temperatures. You can achieve this by leaving any dairy or eggs you plan to use for baking out of the fridge for 30 minutes before using them.

Shape streusel pieces manually to prevent the mixture from resembling batter.

For the streusel topping, you can replace granulated sugar with brown sugar to impart a richer flavour to your streusel. It also helps the crumbly pieces to form.

Traditionally made with bramley apples – large, green and tart – granny smiths are an excellent alternative: they have a pleasant tartness and retain texture when baked. Honeycrisp apples would also be a suitable choice. If desired, you can always experiment with other varieties.

How to serve it

This cake is typically served with a custard sauce, but a dollop of whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream is equally delightful.